Category Archives: Native American Culture

Hey, y’all! Do you wanna read a comic about two Lipan teens who save their home from a sinister southern belle? OF COURSE YOU DO! “Worst Bargain in Town,” my comic about love and hair, has been released in Moonshot Volume 2! If you’re interested in the comic’s inspiration and creation, I was recently interviewed for Sequential Tart.

Last night, the Watson to my Holmes, T Hueston, sent me photos of Navajo Raven from Vol. 1 of Teen Titans: Earth One. The next words out of T’s Skype mouth were:

“Yeah, I mean, I’m not saying that the idea is bad, but they probably should have done more research.”

Raven is the startled-looking teen in the background.

Well, this made me curious. Let’s be honest, it’s beyond difficult to find Native American protagonists in comics, film, fiction, and TV. We desperately need more representation (for crying out loud, can somebody recommend wendigo anything with Native American protagonists – I’m still looking). But representation alone isn’t enough. For example, when I see an Apache character who is a mismatch of stereotypes, it’s rather awkward and alienating. I asked T, who is Navajo, to elaborate their opinion about Raven. Here’s what T had to say:

“I like the idea of having a Native American superhero who is not defined by their ethnic group, and I am proud to have a Navajo representation in the DC Universe; however, I see [Raven’s character] as a wasted opportunity to explore unique aspects of Navajo culture, as Raven is not presented as a Navajo but rather a generic Native American.

For instance, she is not wearing Navajo jewelry, but rather jewelry from other tribes. Navajos are not like other tribes and do not have specific mythology that focuses on animals, but rather on the Gods or Yei, and specific spirits or figures.

She studies under her shaman grandfather but Navajos do not have shamans, they have medicine men and women, who both have specific jobs they perform (medicine men do more song and stories, and medicine women do more plant-based healing and are knowledgeable about plants).

Beyond that, she does not look like a Navajo. Specifically, [Navajo people] are known for their squash blossom necklaces, hanging turquoise earrings and velvet dresses, and unromanticized round faces and bun hairstyles.

If DC wanted to depict a Navajo, they should have spent some time doing research to make the cultural identity feel authentic, especially to persons with Navajo heritage. Instead [Raven] feels like an attempt to pass off a Native American stereotype under a tribal name that doesn’t belong.”

I sincerely hope that DC and other creative platforms include more Native American protagonists in their products. However, it’s important to move beyond stereotypes. We are people with unique, varied histories and complex lives.

Thank you for reading. And thank you, T, for your fantastic contribution to this post!

Diatoms! They’re snowflakes in the ocean, microscopic organisms built from opal, the most beautiful phytoplankton (in my opinion) you’ll ever see. Many of the diatoms in the photograph above (captured by Dr. Robert Berdan) inspired my mom. Just look at the details below!

I was 2012 S.T.I.D.A. Princess during the Twenty-third Annual South Texas (Way South) Pow Wow. At the time, I’d just received a bachelor’s degree in oceanography; my thesis work involved Trichodesmium-wrangling on the blue Sargasso Sea. The crown represents my passion for the ocean – it’s my hope that other pow wow princesses will wear scientific motifs on their heads in the future :3 Hey, maybe some already have! Give me a call, if that’s you …

Here I am with my beautiful mom and grandmother. Check out that cell phone pic quality!